1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and to a method for fabricating the LCD device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The LCD device has been used as a display device of a data processing apparatus, such as a desktop computer, a notebook computer, and as a display terminal of a television. FIG. 1 shows an array formed on one substrate of a conventional LCD device. In FIG. 1, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, which are arranged in a perpendicular direction to the gate lines, and a plurality of pixels, each of which is formed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line, are formed on one glass substrate, for example, a lower glass substrate 2 shown in FIG. 2. Only four data lines (e.g., D1 through D4), and only four gate lines (e.g., G1 through G4) are shown in FIG. 1. The pixel includes a thin film transistor (TFT) 7 and a capacitor 8. The gate line is connected to a gate of the TFT 7, the data line is connected to a drain of the TFT, a source of the TFT is connected to one terminal of the capacitor, and the other terminal of the capacitor is connected to a reference potential.
A data line driver is connected to the data lines to apply the data pulses to the data lines, and a gate line driver is connected to the gate lines to sequentially apply the gate pulses to the gate lines. During the application of the gate pulse to one gate line, such as the gate line G1, the data line driver applies the data pulses to the data lines to display the image.
FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional structure of the conventional LCD device 1 along dotted line 2A-2B in FIG. 1. The conventional LCD device 1 includes a lower glass substrate 2, an upper glass substrate 3, a lower polarizer plate 4, an upper polarizer plate 5 and a backlight device 6. The data lines D1 through D4 and the gate lines G1 through G4 are formed on the lower glass substrate 2, but the gate lines are not shown in FIG. 2. The upper terminals or a display electrode of the capacitor 8, which is made of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) layers 9, is formed in an area between the data lines. Passivation layers 10 are formed to cover the data lines and to isolate the ITO layers from the data lines.
An alignment layer 11 is formed to cover the entire structure. Black matrices 12 are formed on the upper glass substrate 3 to face the data lines, respectively. Red, green and blue color filters 13 are formed to face the ITO layers 9, respectively. An insulating layer 14 is formed on the color filters 13 to provide a flat surface. The ITO layer 15, which is called as a common electrode for operating as the lower electrode of the capacitor 8 shown in FIG. 1, is formed on the insulating layer 14. An alignment layer 16 is formed on the ITO layer 15. A twisted nematic liquid crystal is sandwiched between the lower alignment layer 11 and the upper alignment layer 16. A length L1 represents an aperture size defined by the adjacent black matrices 12, and a length L2 represents an overlap of the black matrix 12 and the ITO layer 9.
FIG. 3 shows a normally white mode operation of the LCD device 1. The backlight device 6 generates a white light. The polarizer plate 4 has a polarizing plane as shown by the vertical lines and passes the light parallel to the polarizing plane. The alignment layer 11 is rubbed in the vertical direction, the alignment layer 16 is rubbed in the horizontal direction, and the polarizer plate 5 has a polarizing plane in the horizontal direction. It is noted that the ITO layers 9 and 15 are not shown to simplify the drawing. FIG. 3(A) shows the case in which the voltage is not applied across the pixel electrode (e.g., the ITO layer 9), and the common electrode (e.g., the ITO layer 15 through the TFT 7), shown in FIG. 1, so that liquid crystal molecules 17 is twisted by 90 degrees between the pixel electrode 9 and the common electrode 15. In this case, the polarized light passing through the polarizer plate 4 is rotated by the 90 degrees through the twisted liquid crystal molecules 17, and passes through the polarizer plate 5, so that the white image is displayed.
When the voltage is applied across the ITO layer 9 and the ITO layer 15, the liquid crystal molecules 17 are aligned along the electric field, as shown in FIG. 3(B), so that the polarized light from the polarizer plate 4 passes through the liquid crystal molecules 17 without being rotated, whereby the polarized light is shut off by the polarizing plate 5, and the black image is displayed. In this manner, the operation mode, in which the white image is displayed when the voltage is not applied across the pixel electrode 9 and the common electrode 15, is called as the normally white mode.
However, the following problems are found in the conventional LCD device.
FIG. 4 shows a first problem in the conventional LCD device due to a dot defect or a line defect. The dot defect means that the pixel, for example the pixel P11, becomes inoperative since the gate electrode of the TFT is cut at a portion A. In the conventional technology, an additional connection B is formed to directly connect the data line D1 to the display electrode of the pixel P11. This technology, however, causes the following additional problem.
When the gate pulse is applied to the gate line G1 to activate the pixels connected to the gate line G1, the pixel P11 is applied with the data pulse on the data line D1. In this case, the pixel P11 display the correct image since the data line D1 is connected to the pixel P11 through the connection B. But, when the pixel P11 displays the white image, as shown in FIG. 3(A) and the pixel P31 displays the black image, as shown in FIG. 3(B), the data pulse for displaying the black image on the pixel P31 is also applied to the pixel P11 through to the direct connection B between the data line D1 and the pixel P11, so that the pixel P11 displays the black image or the wrong image.
The line defect means that the gate line, for example the gate line G1, is cut at a portion C so that the horizontal pixels succeeding to the pixel P12 always display the white image, or that the data line, for example the data line D2 is cut at a portion D so that the vertical pixels succeeding to the pixel P22 always display the white image. It has been difficult to repair the line defect in the conventional art.
A second problem in the conventional LCD device is that when it is desired to realize a high resolution image display, it is necessary to increase the size of the glass substrates for the following reasons. The increase of the resolution has been accomplished by increasing the number of pixels. The increase of the pixels means the increase of the number of data and gate lines which dissipate a large area on the glass substrate, so that the aperture size, through which the light passes, becomes small, and the displayed image becomes dark. To solve the problem of the dark image, the size of the glass substrates is increased, whereby the aperture size is increased. But, the increased size of the glass substrates causes a new problem in that the length of the data line and the gate lines is increased, so that a voltage drop along the data line and the gate line is increased, whereby luminance of each pixel along the data line and the gate line is gradually decreased. To solve the gradual decrease of the luminance, a cross sectional area of the data line and the gate line must be increased, or the data line and the gate line made of a high electrically conductive material must be used. These technical changes, however, require a development of a new fabrication process.
A third problem in the conventional LCD device is achieving a wide viewing angle with a good image quality. To realize the wide viewing angle, a technology called an In-Plane switching (IPS) mode had been recently developed. In the IPS mode, the liquid crystal molecules are always switched in a parallel plane to the surface of the glass substrate, without being aligned in a perpendicular direction to the surface of the glass substrate. But, in the IPS mode, a white color viewed by an user varies depending upon a viewing angle.
Before describing a fourth problem in the conventional LCD device, a driving scheme of the LCD device is described. It is required to apply the voltage, such as 5V, across the pixel electrode 9 and the common electrode 15 to align the liquid crystal molecules along the electric field, as shown in FIG. 3(B). But, the liquid crystal material deteriorates if the DC voltage field is continuously applied to the liquid crystal material. Accordingly, the polarity of the voltage field applied to the liquid crystal material is alternately switched. Describing the driving of one pixel, the voltage xe2x88x922.5V is applied to the pixel electrode 9 and the voltage +2.5V is applied to the common electrode 15 during odd frame periods, and the voltage +2.5V is applied to the pixel electrode 9 and the voltage xe2x88x922.5V is applied to the common electrode 15 during even frame periods. This is called a xe2x80x9cvoltage inversion schemexe2x80x9d.
To perform the voltage inversion of the pixels on the display screen, two schemes have been used. The first scheme is an H (horizontal) common inversion scheme. In this scheme, the common electrode is divided into N common sub-electrodes along the horizontal direction, and the gate lines are divided into N groups in corresponding to the N common sub-electrodes.
During the odd frame periods, the voltage +2.5V is applied to the odd sub-common electrode and the voltage xe2x88x922.5V is applied to the pixel electrode facing the odd sub-common electrodes, and the voltage xe2x88x922.5V is applied to the even sub-common electrodes and the voltage +2.5V is applied to the pixel electrodes facing the even sub-common electrodes.
During the even frames periods, the voltage xe2x88x922.5V is applied to the odd sub-common electrodes and the voltage +2.5V is applied to the pixel electrodes facing the odd sub-common electrodes, and the voltage +2.5V is applied to the even sub-common electrode and the voltage xe2x88x922.5V is applied to the pixel electrode facing the even sub-common electrodes. This means that the data line driver connected to the data lines and the common electrode driver connected to the sub-common electrodes shares the voltage amplitude of 5.0V. That is, the load of both the data line and common electrode driver is small.
However, such voltage share is not possible in the second scheme called an xe2x80x9cH/V inversion schemexe2x80x9d. In the H/V inversion scheme, the inversion is performed for each pixel. The voltage 5V is not shared by the data line driver and the common electrode driver, so that the data line driver generates the data signal with the amplitude of the 5V. This is the fourth problem in the conventional LCD device.
In view of the foregoing and other problems, disadvantages and drawbacks of the conventional LCD devices, the present invention has been devised, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure and method for an LCD device which can decrease the affect of the dot defect and the line defect.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an LCD device which realizes the high resolution without increasing the number of data lines and gate lines.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an LCD device which realizes the wide viewing angle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an LCD device which decreases the value of the voltage applied to the data lines and the gate lines in the H/V inversion scheme.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating the above LCD devices.
In a first aspect, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a second transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are arranged to face the first surface of the first transparent substrate to the first surface of the second transparent substrate, and a liquid crystal material is enclosed between the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. A pixel array, in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged in row and column directions and data signals are applied to the pixel regions through data lines, is formed on the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate.
Preferably, the data lines are arranged in one of the row and column directions, gate lines are arranged in the other direction of the row and column directions, and each of the pixel regions on the first transparent substrate is aligned to each of the pixel regions on the second transparent substrate.
Preferably, the gate lines on the first transparent substrate are aligned to the gate lines on the second transparent substrate, respectively, and the data lines on the first transparent substrate are aligned to the data lines on the second transparent substrate, respectively.
Preferably, the gate lines on the first surface of the first transparent substrate are connected to a first gate line driver, the data lines on the first surface of the first transparent substrate are connected to a first data line driver, the gate lines on the first surface of the second transparent substrate are connected to a second gate line driver, and the data lines on the first surface of the second transparent substrate are connected to a second data line driver.
Preferably, the pixel regions in the pixel array is formed adjacent to each intersection of the gate line and the data lines, and the pixel region includes a display electrode and a switching element connected between the gate and data lines and the display electrode.
Preferably, the switching element is a thin film transistor having a gate electrode connected to the gate line, a drain electrode connected to the data line and a source electrode connected to the display electrode.
Preferably, each of the first and second transparent substrates has a top edge, a bottom edge, a left side edge and a right side edge, data line pads respectively connected to the data lines on the first transparent substrate are formed in a first area adjacent to one of the top edge and bottom edge of the first transparent substrate, gate line pads respectively connected to the gate lines on the first transparent substrate are formed in a second area adjacent to one of the left side edge and the right edge of the first transparent substrate, data line pads respectively connected to the data lines on the second transparent substrate are formed in a third area adjacent to the other of the top edge and the bottom edge of the second transparent substrate, and gate line pads respectively connected to the gate lines are formed in a fourth area adjacent to the other of the left edge and the right side edge of the second transparent substrate, and the first data line driver is connected to the data line pads in the first area, the first gate line driver is connected to the gate line pads in the second area, and the second data line driver is connected to the data line pads in the third area, and the second gate line driver is connected to the gate line pads in the fourth area.
Preferably, the liquid crystal is switched from a first state, in which no voltage is applied, to a second state, in which the voltage is applied, by a switching voltage, the first gate line driver applies a gate pulse to a selected one gate line on the first transparent substrate, the second gate line driver applies a gate pulse to one gate line, which faces the selected one gate line, on the second transparent substrate, and the application of the two gate pulses are simultaneously performed, and the first data line driver applies a data signal of a value, which is half of the switching voltage, to at least one data line on the first transparent substrate during the application of the gate pulse to the gate line on the first transparent substrate, and the second data line driver applies a data signal of an amplitude, which is half of the switching voltage, to a data line on the second transparent substrate, which is faced to the one data line on the first transparent substrate, during the application of the gate pulse to the gate line on the second transparent substrate.
Preferably, a first alignment layer is formed to cover the pixel array on the first transparent substrate, a second alignment layer is Formed to cover the pixel array on the second transparent substrate, and the liquid crystal material is a twisted nematic liquid crystal material.
Preferably, the liquid crystal device further includes a memory for storing dot defect information, which includes data representing the position of the defective pixel and an identifying data representing one of the first and second transparent substrates on which a pixel region of the defective pixel is formed, and a control means for responding to the dot defect information to increase a value of data signal applied to a pixel region, which is formed on the other of the first and second transparent substrates, of the defective pixel to the value of the switching voltage to the liquid crystal material.
Preferably, the controller determines whether the defective pixel requires an application of the switching voltage, or not, and if the defective pixel requires the application of the switching voltage, the controller increases the value of data signal applied to the pixel region, which is formed on the other of the first and second transparent substrate, of the defective pixel to the value of the switching voltage to the liquid crystal material.
Preferably, the liquid crystal device further includes a memory for storing a data line defect information, which includes data representing the position of the defect on the data line and an identifying data representing one of the first and second transparent substrates on which the defective data line is formed, and a control means for responding to the data line defect information to increase a value of data signal applied to pixel regions, which are formed on the other of the first and second transparent substrates, of pixels affected by the data line defect to the value of the switching voltage to the liquid crystal material.
Preferably, the controller determines as to whether the pixels affected by the data line defect require an application of the switching voltage, or not, and if the pixels affected by the data line defect require the application of the switching voltage, the controller increases the value of data signal applied to pixel regions, which are formed on the other of the first and second transparent substrates, of the pixels affected by the data line defect, to the switching voltage to the liquid crystal material.
Preferably, the liquid crystal device further includes a memory for storing gate line defect information, which includes data representing the position of the defect on the gate line and an identifying data representing one of the first and second transparent substrates on which the defective gate line is formed, and a controller for responding to the gate line defect information to increase a value of data signal applied to pixel regions, which are formed on the other of the first and second transparent substrates, of pixels affected by the gate line defect to the value of the switching voltage to the liquid crystal material.
Preferably, the controller determines as to whether the pixels affected by the gate line defect require an application of the switching voltage, or not, and if the pixels affected by the gate line defect require the application of the switching voltage, the controller increases the value of data signal applied to the pixel regions, which are formed on the other of the first and second transparent substrate, of the pixels affected by the gate line defect, to the switching voltage to the liquid crystal material.
In another aspect, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a second transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are arranged to face the first surface of the first transparent substrate to the first surface of the second transparent substrate, and a liquid crystal material is enclosed between the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. A pixel array, in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged in row and column directions and data signals are applied to the pixel regions through data lines, is formed on the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. The data lines are arranged in one of the row and column directions, gate lines are arranged in the other direction of the row and column directions, and wherein each of the pixel regions on the first transparent substrate is shifted with respect to each of the pixel regions on the second transparent substrate, in the direction along the gate lines, by a distance which is the half of a width of the pixel region along the gate lines.
Preferably, the gate lines on the first transparent substrate are aligned to the gate lines on the second transparent substrate, respectively, and each of the data lines on the first transparent substrate is aligned to an intermediate position between the data lines on the second transparent substrate, respectively.
Preferably, the intermediate position is separated by LX/2 from a center of the data line, wherein LX is a distance between a center of one data line and a center of a next data line.
Preferably, a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line formed on the second transparent substrate, are formed on the first transparent substrate, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line formed on the first transparent substrate, are formed on the second transparent substrate.
Preferably, a plurality of color filters are formed on the first transparent substrate, and each of the color filters is formed on the first transparent substrate at a position between the data line and the black matrix.
In yet another aspect, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a second transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are arranged to face the first surface of the first transparent substrate to the first surface of the second transparent substrate, and a liquid crystal material is enclosed between the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. A pixel array, in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged in row and column directions and data signals are applied to the pixel regions through data lines, is formed on the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. The data lines are arranged in one of the row and column directions, gate lines are arranged in the other direction of the row and column directions, and wherein each of the pixel regions on the first transparent substrate is shifted with respect to each of the pixel regions on the second transparent substrate, in the direction along the data lines, by a distance which is the half of a height of the pixel region along the data lines.
Preferably, the data lines on the first transparent substrate are aligned to the data lines on the second transparent substrate, respectively, and each of the gate lines on the first transparent substrate is aligned to an intermediate position between the gate lines on the second transparent substrate. The intermediate position is separated by LY/2 from a center of the gate line, wherein LY is a distance between a center of one gate line and a center of a next gate line.
Preferably, a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one gate line formed on the second transparent substrate, are formed on the first transparent substrate, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one gate line formed on the first transparent substrate, are formed on the second transparent substrate.
Preferably, a plurality of color filters are formed on the first transparent substrate, and each of the color filters is formed on the first transparent substrate at a position between the gate line and the black matrix.
In a further aspect, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a second transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are arranged to face the first surface of the first transparent substrate to the first surface of the second transparent substrate, and a liquid crystal material is enclosed between the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. A pixel array, in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged in row and column directions and data signals are applied to the pixel regions through data lines, is formed on the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. The data lines are arranged in one of the row and column directions and gate lines are arranged in the other direction of the row and column directions. Each of the pixel regions on the first transparent substrate is shifted, in the direction along the gate lines, by a distance which is equal to the half of a width of the pixel region along the gate lines, and is shifted, in the direction along the data lines, by a distance which is equal to the half of a height of the pixel region along the data lines, with respect to each of the pixel region on the second transparent substrate.
Preferably, each of the data lines on the first transparent substrate are aligned to an intermediate position between the data lines on the second transparent substrate, respectively, and each of the gate lines on the first transparent substrate is aligned to an intermediate position between the gate lines on the second transparent substrate, respectively.
Preferably, the intermediate position between the data lines is separated by LX/2 from a center of the data line, wherein the LX is a distance between a center of one data line and a center of a next data line, and the intermediate position between the gate lines is separated by LY/2 from a center of the gate line, wherein LY is a distance between a center of one gate line and a center of a next gate line.
Preferably, a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line and one gate line formed on the second transparent substrate, are formed on the first transparent substrate, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line and one gate line formed on the first transparent substrate, are formed on the second transparent substrate.
In another aspect, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a second transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are arranged to face the first surface of the first transparent substrate to the first surface of the second transparent substrate, and a vertical alignment liquid crystal material is enclosed between the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. A pixel array, in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged in row and column directions, and a data signal is applied to the pixel regions through data lines, is formed on the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. The data lines are arranged in one of the row and column directions and gate lines are arranged in the other direction of the row and column directions. Each of the pixel regions on the first transparent substrate is shifted with respect to each of the pixel regions on the second transparent substrate, in the direction along the gate lines, by a distance which is the half of a width of the pixel region along the gate lines. A plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line formed on the second transparent substrate, are formed on the first transparent substrate, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line formed on the first transparent substrate, are formed on the second transparent substrate, and each of the black matrices has a trapezoidal cross section.
Preferably, a separate transparent substrate, on which color filters are formed, is positioned on the second surface of the first transparent substrate or the second surface of the second transparent substrate.
In a further aspect, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a second transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are arranged to face the first surface of the first transparent substrate to the first surface of the second transparent substrate, and a vertical alignment liquid crystal material is enclosed between the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. A pixel array, in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged in row and column directions and data signals are applied to the pixel regions through data lines, is formed on the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. The data lines are arranged in one of the row and column directions and gate lines are arranged in the other direction of the row and column directions. Each of the pixel regions on the first transparent substrate is shifted with respect to each of the pixel regions on the second transparent substrate, in the one direction along the data lines, by a distance which is half of a height of the pixel region along the data lines. A plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one gate line formed on the second transparent substrate, are formed on the first transparent substrate, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one gate line formed on the first transparent substrate, are formed on the second transparent substrate, and each of the black matrices has a trapezoidal cross section.
In yet another aspect, a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a second transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate are arranged to face the first surface of the first transparent substrate to the first surface of the second transparent substrate, and a vertical alignment liquid crystal material is enclosed between the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. A pixel array, in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged in row and column directions and data signals are applied to the pixel regions through data lines, is formed on the first surface of the first transparent substrate and the first surface of the second transparent substrate. The data lines are arranged in one of the row and column directions, gate lines are arranged in the other direction of the row and column directions; wherein each of the pixel regions on the first transparent substrate is shifted, in the direction along the gate lines, by a distance which is equal to the half of a width of the pixel region along the gate lines, and is shifted, in the direction along the data lines, by a distance which is equal to the half of a height of the pixel region along the data lines, with respect to each of the pixel region on the second transparent substrate. A plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line and one gate line formed on the second transparent substrate, are formed on the first transparent substrate, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line and one gate line formed on the first transparent substrate, are formed on the second transparent substrate, and each of the black matrices has a trapezoidal cross section.
In a different aspect, a method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention comprises:
(a) forming a pixel array, in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged in row and column directions and a data signal is applied to the pixel regions through data lines, in a first portion and a second portion of one transparent substrate;
(b) cutting the transparent substrate into the first portion and the second portion;
(c) arranging the first portion and the second portion such that the pixel array on the first portion faces the pixel array on the second portion;
(d) bonding the first portion and the second portion at a sealing area to surround the pixel arrays on the first and second portions; and
(e) filling a liquid crystal material into a space surrounded by the sealing area.
Preferably, in the pixel array, data lines are arranged in one of the row and column directions, gate lines are arranged in the other direction of the row and column directions, and each of the pixel regions is formed at a region adjacent to each intersection of the gate line and the data lines. Each of the pixel regions includes a display electrode and a thin film transistor connected between the gate and data lines and the display electrode.
Preferably, each of the first and second portions has a top edge, a bottom edge, a left side edge and a right side edge, and in step (a), data line pads connected to the data lines on the first portion, respectively, are formed in a first area adjacent to one of the top edge and the bottom edge of the first portion. Gate line pads connected to the gate lines on the first portion, respectively, are formed in a second area adjacent to one of the left side edge and the right side edge of the first portion. Data line pads connected to the data lines on the second portion, respectively, are formed in a third area adjacent to the other of the top edge and the bottom edge of the second portion. Gate line pads connected to the gate lines on the second portion, respectively, are formed in a fourth area adjacent to the other of the left side edge and the right side edge of the second portion.
Preferably, the method further includes connecting a first data line driver to the data line pads in the first area, connecting a first gate line driver to the gate line pads in the second area, connecting a second data line driver to the data line pads in the third area, and connecting a second gate line driver to the gate line pads in the fourth area.
Preferably, in step (c), the first portion and the second portion are arranged to align the gate lines on the first portion to the gate lines on the second portion, respectively, and to align the data lines on the first portion to the data lines on the second portion, respectively.
Preferably, in step (c), each of the pixel regions on the first portion is shifted with respect to each of the pixel regions on the second portion, in the direction along the gate lines, by a distance which is the half of a width of the pixel region along the gate lines.
Preferably, in step (a), a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line on the second portion, are formed on the first portion, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line on the first portion, are formed on the second portion.
Preferably, the thin film transistor is a reversed staggered type thin film transistor, and in step (a), gate electrodes of the reversed staggered type thin film transistors and a plurality of black matrices are simultaneously formed on the first and second portions.
Preferably, the thin film transistor is a staggered type thin film transistor which includes a light shielding layer below a gate electrode; and in the step (a), the light shielding layers of the staggered type thin film transistors and a plurality of black matrices are simultaneously formed on the first and second portions.
Preferably, in step (a), a plurality of color filters are formed on the first portion, and each of the color filters is formed at a position between the data line and the black matrix.
Preferably, in step (c), each of the pixel regions on the first portion is shifted with respect to each of the pixel regions on the second portion, in the direction along the data lines, by a distance which is half of a height of the pixel region along the data lines.
Preferably, in step (a), a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one gate line on the second portion, are formed on the first portion, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one gate line on the first portion, are formed on the second portion.
Preferably, in step (a), a plurality of color filters are formed on the first portion, and wherein each of the color filters is formed at a position between the gate line and the black matrix.
In step (c), each of the pixel regions on the first portion is shifted, in the direction along the gate lines, by a distance which is half of a width of the pixel region along the gate lines, and is shifted, in the direction along the data lines, by a distance which is half of a height of the pixel region along the data lines, with respect to the pixel regions on the second portion.
In step (a), a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line and one gate line on the second portion, are formed on the first portion, and a plurality of black matrices, each of which is positioned to face one data line and one gate line on the first portion, are formed on the second portion.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application 11-133355, filed May 13, 1999, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.